How to improve your prospects in 2012
When times are hard, and you know they are, it's natural to seek comfort from others, hope things will improve and look forward to better days ahead.
Good luck on your trip to fantasy land.
As far as I'm concerned, you might just as well go out, tie one on, wake up, take some aspirin and face the music. Speaking of which, consider this your morning-after wake-up call.
That's right -- it's time to wake up and toss all those pleasant platitudes, optimistic parables and empty promises of better things to come. Reality doesn't give a you-know-what about any of that sugarcoated fluff. And don't tell me you didn't ask for a cold hard dose of reality. You clicked on the link, didn't you?
So whether you're looking for a job or a better one, running a small business, or you're just an average everyday working stiff, here are 10 do's and don'ts to improve your prospects in 2012. They're not silver bullets. There are no quick fixes. And they're not easy. But then that's sort of how reality rolls.
Don't hope and pray. This is not a time for wishful thinking. Hope is actually a double whammy because not only won't it do you any good, it'll give you a false sense of optimism and keep you from taking the hard steps you need to take.
Do take a cold hard look at reality. Once you have a genuine understanding of the situation you're dealing with, you'll be far more effective at positioning yourself to minimize the pitfalls and take advantage of the opportunities. Here are recent posts on the employment picture and the economy to help with that. I'm just warning you, it's not a pretty picture:
--Lies, damn lies and unemployment data
-- Will the economy turn around in 2012?
Don't make New Year's resolutions. They're dumb and they don't work. Pledges and promises are usually grandiose, have no feedback loop, and are therefore set up to fail. Companies make promises all the time. Guess what that's worth?
Do set achievable goals. Then make plans to accomplish them and do it. Well-run companies big and small set reasonably attainable goals, come up with strategies and plans for achieving them, then execute and monitor their progress. You should do exactly the same thing.
Don't escape...too much. I'm into fun and distraction as much as the next guy, probably more. Just remember there's a time and a place for everything. When it's time to work, work; when it's time to play, play. Just don't delude yourself into thinking all that Facebook and Twitter nonsense is the former. It's not.
Do less social networking and more real networking. Disengage from your gadgets and engage with people. Networking and schmoozing in the real world will do far more good for your business and career than networking in the virtual world.
10 reasons why your network is your biggest assetHow to schmooze your way to business success
Don't try to spend your way out of it. It didn't work for the federal government and it won't work for you, either. Ask any turnaround specialist what's the first thing they look at when confronted with a company that's going down the tubes? That's right, the bottom line. Sure, they look at the top line next, but the bottom line comes first.
Do get your fiscal house in order. With a clear picture of your financial situation -- that means income and spending -- you'll know just how much to tighten your belt without destroying your ability to capitalize on opportunities.
Don't take risks beyond your tolerance to weather the downside. When their backs are against a wall, some people abandon all good sense and take crazy risks. I don't know why. I guess they think they've got nothing to lose, but that doesn't make it any less dumb or self-destructive. It's good to take risks. Just don't bet the farm that you can turn manure into gold. You can't.
Do take reasonable, calculated risks. It's okay to take risksand trust your gut, as long as your gut asks a lot of good questions, is well-informed about the odds and pitfalls, has a solid track record, and bounces its ideas off other guts. In other words, don't do anything stupid like doubling down on a bad bet.